Reversible spool unit for knitting yarn



March 14, 1967 D. D. STANCIL 3,309,040

REVERSIBLE SPOOL UNIT FOR KNITTING YARN Filed Oct. 18, 1965 K H INVENTORDimple D. Sfancil BY 5 .FZ-f 5 j u dfiz 5 4/9645 A OR M EYS UnitedStates Patent Ofifice 3,309,040 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 3,309,040REVERSHBLE SPOOL UNIT FOR KNITTING YARN Dimple Dee Stancil, 4404 E. 3rdSt, Stockton, Calif. 95206 Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,260 3Claims. (Cl. 242-139) This invention relates to domestic or in-the-homeknitting operations, and particularly to knitting operations of the typewhich require the use of two runs of yarn from separate spools in orderto knit the desired article.

In the course of such a knitting operation, the runs of yarn recurringlybecome crossed at a point between the spools and the knitter. When thisoccurs, it has heretofore been necessary for the knitter to manuallypick up the spools of yarn and reverse their positions (on the floor ortable as the case may be) in order to eliminate the crossed arrangementof said runs of yarn and as necessary to proceed with the knitting.

It is the major object of this invention to eliminate the inconvenienceand loss of time to the knitter occasioned by the presentyarn-uncrossing method, by providing a unitadapted to upstand on thefloor in front of the knitter-which supports a pair of spools of yarn intransversely spaced relation, and is provided with means whereby whendesired such spools may be quickly and easily reversed in position byfoot action and'without the knitter having to change her position ortemporarily lay down the article being knit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reversible spool unitfor knitting yarn which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture,and convenience of use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical,reliable, and durable reversible spool unit for knitting yarn and onewhich is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the reversible spool unit, showing thespools empty.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged transverse sectional elevation of thespool unit, taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the spool unit, showing the runs of yarnleading uncrossed from their respective spools.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the spool unit, showing the runsof yarn as crossed, and illustrating the method of uncrossing said runs.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional elevation of one of thespools and its mounting means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings :and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, the reversible spool unit consists of asupporting base of stoollike form, indicated generally at 1, whichcomprises a top or platform 2 supported at a suitable height from thefloor by legs 3.

Turnably supported in and upstanding from the platform 2 is a rotarypost 4 which on its upper end is fitted with a rigid cross bar 5; saidcross bar being fixed on the post for rotation therewith.

The cross bar 5 extends transversely equal distances on opposite sidesof the post 4, and adjacent each end such cross bar supports anupstanding spindle 6 which is preferably threaded on its upper end.

Freely turnable on each spindle 6 is a spool 7 on which the yarn iswound before the spool is placed on the spindle. The base flange of thespool when mounted on the spindle 6 rests on an anti-friction disc 8 soas to allow the spool to turn freely and with a minimum of resistance.

Each such spool 7 is removably held on its spindle 6 by means of a capnut 9 mounted on the spindle at its upper end; the nut being of suchform that it may be readily manipulated by hand.

In order to rotate the post 4 and the unitary cross bar 5 through adegree are when necessary to reverse the positions of the spools 7, thefollowing arrangement is provided:

Disposed mainly in front of the base 1 and ajacent the floor, is a pairof transversely spaced foot pedals 10 which project at their rear endsunder the platform 2; said foot pedals being transversely pivotallymounted at their front ends on a cross rod 11 end-supported by L-shapedhangers 12 depending from said platform 2.

At their inner or free ends the foot pedals 10 are connected to the endsof a relatively taut, flexible but nonstretchable cord 13 which iswrapped about and secured at a suitable point to a vertical axis pulley14. This pulley is fixed on the lower end of the post 4 directly belowthe platform 2, as shown in FIG. 2. The cord 13- between the pulley 14and the foot pedals 10is guided through suitably positioned,direction-changing eyes 15 mounted on and depending from the platform 2.With this arrangement, the end portions of the cord can extendvertically to corresponding foot pedals, While the intermediate portionof the cord extends about the pulley in a horizontal plane.

The point of connection of the cord 13 with the pulley 14 is suchthat-when the cross bar 5 extends transversely of the baseone pedal 10is in raised position while the other pedal is in lowered position, asshown in FIG. 1.

When the runs 16 of the yarn become crossed, as shown in FIG. 4 (asrecurs during the knitting operation) a reversal in the relativeposition of the pedals 10, by downward foot pressure on the raised pedal10, will cause the pulley 14, post 4, and cross bar 5 to be rotatedthrough an arc of 180 degrees in one direction. Such rotation will, ofcourse, reset the cross bar 5 in a transverse position on the base butwith the spools 7 thereon reversed in posi tions; i.e., with spool Aoccupying the position relative to the knitter originally occupied byspool B, and with the runs of yarn uncrossed.

When it is necessary to next reverse the spools, depression of the thenraised pedal (which had been previously raised by the depression of theother pedal) will impart the desired return rotation of the cross bar inthe opposite direction and to its initial position, again uncrossing theruns of yarn.

Prior to each operation or reversal of the described spool unit, theknitter lifts the knitting to an elevation such that the runs 16 of theyarn incline upwardly from the respective spools and so that the1atteras they move to reversed positions-may pass under such runswithout entanglement therewith.

If desired, an additional spool 7A may be mounted on top of the post 4,but such spool is merely a spare intended for the reception of asupplementary supply of yarn.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a reversible spool unit for knitting yarn assubstantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forthherein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the reversible spool unit for knitting yarn, still inpractice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do notform a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by theappended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following isclaimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A reversible spool unit for knitting yarn compris ing a base, a postupstanding from the base, a cross bar mounted on the upper end of thepost, a pair of spindles to rotatably support spools of yarn mountedonthe cross mounted on and below.the platform and applied to the. post'below said platform to rotate the post through any are of 180 degrees.

2. A reversible spool unit, as in claim 1, in which said last namedmeans comprises a pulley fixed on the lower end of the post,'a pair oftransversely spaced separately operable foot pedals supported from theplatform below the same, the pedals normally being disposed one inraised position and the other in lowered position, a relatively tautcord connected at its ends to the pedals and intermediate its ends woundabout the pulley, and directionchanging guides on and depending from theplatform and through which the runs of the cord pass between the pedalsand the pulley.

3. A reversible spool unit, as in claim 2, in which the cross barextends transversely'when either pedal is in raised position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,678,806 7/1928Colman 242-129.7 2,147,483 2/ 1939 Churchill 13929 2,961,185 11/1960Seigle 242l30 3,129,605 1 4/1964 Bonnell et al. 74-512 X FRANK J. COHEN,Primary Examiner.

L. D. CHRISTIAN, Examiner.

1. A REVERSIBLE SPOOL UNIT FOR KNITTING YARN COMPRISING A BASE, A POSTUPSTANDING FROM THE BASE, A CROSS BAR MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF THEPOST, A PAIR OF SPINDLES TO ROTATABLY SUPPORT SPOOLS OF YARN MOUNTED ONTHE CROSS BAR IN DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED RELATION TO AND SUBSTANTIALLYEQUAL DISTANCES FROM THE POST, THE CROSS BAR BEING FIXED ON THE POST FORROTATION THEREWITH, THE BASE INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL PLATFORM RAISEDRELATIVE TO A SUPPORTING FLOOR, MEANS TURNABLY MOUNTING THE POST IN THEPLATFORM WITH THE POST PROJECTING THEREBELOW AND FOOT ACTUATED MEANSMOUNTED ON AND BELOW THE PLATFORM AND APPLIED TO THE POST BELOW SAIDPLATFORM TO ROTATE THE POST THROUGH AN ARC OF 180 DEGREES.